Charles Swaffield was born on May 28, 1831, to Phoebe Antell, age 38, and Edward Swaffield, age 37. His birthplace is either Bradford Peverell or Cerne, both in Dorset, England. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
He was baptised on July 3, 1831 at Bradford-Peverell, Dorset, England. [10, 11, 12]
Early Years
He had several older siblings: George (1820–1894), John Harding Antell (1823–1895), Mary (b. 1823), Jane (1825–1903), James (b. 1826), and Charlotte (1829–1908).
Younger siblings were Sarah Anne (1833–1918), Louisa (1836–1886), and Edward Henry (1838–1901).
Historical
The Railway Boom: In 1841, Charles and his family were living in Bradford Peverell, Dorset, a time when the railroad industry swiftly expanded in England.[7]
The End of the Corn Laws: In 1846, the debates over the repeal of the Corn Laws might have found Charles' family closely following events to see the outcome.
Marriage
Charles Swaffield married Eliza Mary Ann Copper in the Parish of Burwash, Sussex, England, on December 30, 1850, when he was 19 years old and she was 20.
In March 1851, Charles and Eliza Mary Ann (listed as Mary Ann and age 19) were living in the Parish of Battle, Sussex when the worldwide cholera epidemic made deadly passes through England and Wales. They are listed as lodgers at 93 Lower Lake and he was working as a rail labourer. [6]Death of Father
His father Edward (1794–1851) passed away in August 1851 in Sydling St Nicholas, Dorset, England, at the age of 57. Charles was only 20. [4, 13]
Family
Charles and Eliza's daughter Mary Ann was born on March 6, 1852, in Battle, Sussex, England.
Their son George Edward was born on September 9, 1854, in Maidstone, Kent, England.
Their son Charles John was born on January 3, 1856.
Their daughter Harriet Jane (1859–1926) was born on July 14, 1859 in London, Bethnal Green, England. She is both my is my 3rd great-grandmother and my 2nd great-grandmother.
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| Charles is on the far right and Eliza is next to him. Next to Eliza is their daughter Harriett, with her hand on her son Sidney Wade's shoulder. The little girls are Sidney's daughters: brown haired girl is May Violet Wade, blonde is Ruby Elizabeth Rosina Wade. |
1861 Census
In April 1861 Charles and Eliza and children Mary Ann, George, and Harriet lived in the Parish of Sibertswold (also known as Shepherdswell), in the Dover District of Kent, England. Harriet Copper, Eliza's 17 year old sister, was also living with them. Charles was working as a labourer. [2]
Later that year, on December 14, Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, died suddenly.
Charles and Eliza's daughter Edith Phoebe was born on January 8, 1864, in Sydenham, Kent, England.
Their son William James was born on November 2, 1864, in Sevenoaks, Kent, England. He died the following month around December 9, 1864.
Their son Henry was born on October 4, 1866, in Chatham, Kent, England.
Their son Thomas Richard was born on April 28, 1868, in Chatham, Kent, England.
1871 Census
In April 1871, Charles and Eliza (listed as Mary Ann) and children Mary Ann, George, Harriett, Edith, Henry, and Thomas lived in at 32 High Street in the Parish of Gillingham, Borough of Chatham, Town of Old Brompton, Kent, England. Charles and George were working as labourers, daughter Mary Ann as a dressmaker. [1]
Son Walter Sydney was born on November 26, 1872, in Watford, Hertfordshire, England.
Death of Mother
His mother Phoebe (1793–1877) passed away in October 1877 in Dorchester, Dorset, England, at the age of 84.
1881 Census
In April 1881, Charles and Eliza and children Harriett, Henry, Thomas, and Walter lived at High Street Roffey Place in the Parish of Caterham, District of Godstone, Surrey, England. Their neighbours were son George (age 27) and his wife Lydia. Charles was working as a bricklayers labourer, and Henry as an errand boy. [3]
Death of Sister
His sister Louisa (1836–1886) died on March 18, 1886, in Ticehurst, Sussex.
1891 Census
In April 1891 Charles and Eliza (listed as Mary Ann) and children Henry and Walter lived at 16 Garfield Road in the Parish of Edmonton, District of Southgate, Borough of Enfield, Middlesex, England. Charles, Henry, and Walter were all working as bricklayers labourers. Granddaughter Ruby L. Woolley, age 7, is present. She is likely the daughter of Mary Ann and William Woolley.
They appear to be sharing a home with Harriott J. Wade and her children Joseph (8), Sidney (6), William (4), and Ruby (1). She is listed as married (and indeed was married to Joseph Wade in August 1881) but there is no husband's name. [14]
Progress made by the United States and Germany in manufacturing and agriculture in 1891, affected many in the United Kingdom, during the Great Depression of 1873 to 1896.
Death of Brothers
His brother George (1820–1894) died in January 1894 in Dorchester, Dorset. The following year his brother John Harding Antell (1823–1895) died on March 19, 1895, in the Union Workhouse in Chertsey, Surrey. His brother Edward Henry (1838–1901) died in August 1901 in Cerne Abbas, Dorset, England.
1901 Census
In March 1901 Charles and Eliza (listed as Mary Ann) and children Henry and Thomas, a widower at 31 (wife Elizabeth having died in April 1899), lived on Grange Hill in Chigwell Parish, District of Epping, Essex, England. Nephew Albert age 8 (possibly son of Thomas and deceased Elizabeth), and four boarders are listed as well. Charles and Thomas were working as bricklayers. Henry is listed as a miner on railway, and as Navy.
Next door we find daughter Harriett Wade, a widow at 39 (husband Joseph having died between April-June 1899), and her children Joseph (18), Sydney (16), William (14), Ruby E. (11), May V. (8), Henry G. (8), Winnifred G. (5), Edith (4), Charley (3), niece Aliec (Alice?) Swaffield age 11 (likely daughter of Thomas and deceased Elizabeth), and a 15 year old male boarder. [15]
I was curious at the coincidence of both Elizabeth and Joseph dying between April-June 1899. In the Summer of 1899 the Central England temperature saw its 4th hottest summer,[16] and there was also a drought, leading to the 8th driest summer on record, at that time. [17] April and May would've been Spring though so that doesn't help clarify it much.
Charles and his family would have celebrated the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra at Westminster Abbey while living in the United Kingdom in 1902.
Death of Sister
His sister Jane (1825–1903) died on August 23, 1903, in Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales, when Charles was 72 years old.
Death
At some point Charles fell on hard times. We know this because his death was recorded in the Medway Poor Law Union Records. Poor law generally refers to poor individuals such as the elderly, orphaned, unemployed, or sick and afflicted. These individuals were eligible to receive help such as monetary relief and other daily necessities such as food, clothing, and work.
Charles Swaffield died on March 11, 1907, in Medway, Kent, England, when he was 75 years old. [3, 8]
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Sources:
1. 1871 England Census; Class: RG10; Piece: 908; Folio: 77; Page: 7; GSU roll: 823492
2. 1861 England Census; Class: RG 9; Piece: 550; Folio: 187; Page: 12; GSU roll: 542659
3. 1881 England Census; Class: RG11; Piece: 803; Folio: 54; Page: 5; GSU roll: 1341189
4. England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973
5. England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915
6. 1851 England Census; Class: HO107; Piece: 1636; Folio: 397; Page: 34; GSU roll: 193539
7. 1841 England Census; Class: HO107; Piece: 284; Book: 5; Civil Parish: Bradford Peverell; County: Dorset; Enumeration District: 3; Folio: 10; Page: 14; Line: 11; GSU roll: 241339
8. Medway, Kent, England, Poor Law Union Records, 1836-1937; Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre; Chatham, Kent, England; Collection: Poor Law Union Records; Reference Number: G/Me/WId/2
9. Medway, Kent, England, Poor Law Union Records, 1836-1937; Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre; Chatham, Kent, England; Collection: Poor Law Union Records; Reference Number: G/Me/WIa/19
10. England, Select Dorset Church of England Parish Registers, 1538-1999
11. England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980
12. England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
13. England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915
14. 1891 England Census; The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Class: RG12; Piece: 1084; Folio: 63; Page: 10
15. 1901 England Census; Class: RG13; Piece: 1638; Folio: 24; Page: 13
16. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/ssn_HadCET_mean_sort.txt
17. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadukp/data/ranked_seasonal/HadEWP_ranked_ssn.dat
See also:
The Workhouse in Medway, Kent
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